Traditional
104-541: [REDACTED] Look up omkar or Omkaar in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Omkara or onkara can mean: A name for the sound or syllable Om , or its corresponding character in Indian scripts, considered sacred in major Indian religions Used to denote Brahman in some Hindu texts Omkara (2004 film) , a 2004 Indian Kannada film Omkara (2006 film) ,
208-566: A Proto-Indo-European introductory particle " *au " with a function similar to the Sanskrit particle "atha" ( अथ ). However, contemporary Indologist Asko Parpola proposes a borrowing from Dravidian " *ām " meaning "'it is so', 'let it be so', 'yes'", a contraction of " *ākum ", cognate with modern Tamil " ām " ( ஆம் ) meaning "yes". In the Jaffna Tamil dialect spoken in Sri Lanka, aum'
312-402: A baby shower , where the friends and relatives of the woman meet, acknowledge and satisfy the food cravings of the expectant woman, and give gifts to the mother and the baby in the seventh or eighth month of pregnancy. Yåjñavalkya Smriti verse 3.79 asserts that the desires of the pregnant woman should be satisfied for healthy development of the baby, to prevent miscarriage and her health. After
416-460: A pandit . Samskaras are not considered as an end in themselves, but are means of social recognition as well as the passage of a person from one significant stage of life to another. Various elements of samskaras and rituals of passage are mentioned in Vedas of Hinduism, one of the oldest known scriptures in the world. The most extensive, but divergent discussions of these rites of passage are found in
520-530: A 2006 Indian Hindi film adapted from the William Shakespeare play Othello Omkaram (TV series) , an Indian Telugu-language television series See also [ edit ] Om (disambiguation) Aum (disambiguation) Omkaram , 1997 Indian film Ik Onkar , supreme reality in Sikhism Omkar, a fictional horror character created by Indian writer Narayan Dharap Topics referred to by
624-443: A concept in the karma theory of Indian philosophies. The word literally means "putting together, making perfect, getting ready, to prepare", or "a sacred or sanctifying ceremony" in ancient Sanskrit and Pali texts of India. In the context of karma theory, samskaras are dispositions, characters or behavioural traits that exist as default from birth or prepared and perfected by a person over one's lifetime, that exist as imprints on
728-573: A deity into the sacrificial fire). You are the mystic syllable OM . You are higher than the highest. People neither know your end nor your origin nor who you are in reality. You appear in all created beings in the cattle and in brahmana s. You exist in all quarters, in the sky, in mountains and in rivers." Samskara (rite of passage) Samskara ( IAST : saṃskāra , sometimes spelled samskara ) are sacraments in Hinduism and other Indian religions, described in ancient Sanskrit texts, as well as
832-402: A family, as well as those related to final rites associated with cremation. These rites of passage are not uniform, and vary within the diverse traditions of Hinduism. Some may involve formal ceremonies, yajna (fire) ceremonies with the chanting of Vedic hymns. Others are simple, private affairs involving a couple, with or without friends, other families or a religious person such as a priest or
936-489: A feast follows. The ancient Sanskrit texts provide numerous and divergent guidelines to the parents for choosing names. Most recommend that the boy's name be two or four syllables, starting with a sonant, a semivowel in the middle, and ending in a visarga. A girl's name is recommended to be an odd number of syllables, ending in a long ā or ī , resonant and easy to pronounce. Unpleasant, inauspicious, or words that easily transform into bad or evil words must be avoided, state
1040-491: A form of solemn recognition and getting ready, engaging in works and acknowledging the purification of body by cleansing or mind by education or an object by a process (such as polishing a gem or refining a metal)". The term appears in the Śrutis , and in the Smritis of diverse schools of Hinduism as well as the texts of Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism. The etymological roots of the word samskara when it refers to rites of passage,
1144-420: A hymn that means, "the brilliant sun has risen in the east, he is like the hamsa (swan) of the pure worlds, let us salute him, because he dispels darkness". When the baby is in presence of the moon, the father says, "O Moon, thou whose hair is well parted, let this child come to no harm, nor torn from the mother". Annaprashana ( IAST : Annaprāśana, Sanskrit: अन्नप्राशन) literally means "feeding of food", and
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#17328843134341248-442: A hymn". Om is the agreement ( pratigara ) with a hymn. Likewise is tathā = 'so be it' [the agreement] with a [worldly] song (gāthā) [= the applause]. But Om is something divine, and tathā is something human. The Chandogya Upanishad is one of the oldest Upanishads of Hinduism. It opens with the recommendation that "let a man meditate on Om". It calls the syllable Om as udgitha ( उद्गीथ ; song, chant), and asserts that
1352-512: A large list of "forty outer karma samskaras" and "eight inner karma samskara (good qualities)", all of whom have the purpose of empowering a human being to discover, recognize and reach union with the Brahma-Atman (his or her Soul, Self, Highest Being). The ultimate purpose is to inculcate virtues, and samskaras are viewed in the Hindu tradition as means – not as ends – towards ripening and perfecting
1456-450: A long earthly life, where the practitioner aspires to acquire a divine self (atman) in a non-physical form, allowing them to reside eternally in the heavenly realm. In Valmiki 's Ramayana , Rama is identified with Om , with Brahma saying to Rama: "You are the sacrificial performance. You are the sacred syllable Vashat (on hearing which the Adhvaryu priest casts the oblation to
1560-401: A long vowel, ō . (See above .) The syllable is sometimes written ओ३म् , where ३ (i.e., the digit "3") explicitly indicates pluta ('three times as long') which is otherwise only implied. For this same reason Om may also be written ओऽम् in languages such as Hindi , with the avagraha ( ऽ ) being used to indicate prolonging the vowel sound. (However, this differs from
1664-446: A male fetus, bringing forth a male baby". It is a ritual conducted when the pregnancy begins to show, typically in or after the third month of pregnancy and usually before the fetus starts moving in the womb. The ceremony celebrates the rite of passage of the developing fetus, marking the stage where the baby begins to kick as a milestone in a baby's development. The roots of the pumsavana ritual are found in section 4.3.23 and 4.6.2 of
1768-423: A man wishes that a learned son should be born to him, and that he should live his full age, then after having prepared boiled rice with meat and butter, they should both eat, being fit to have offspring. According to Shankaracharya, rather than meat the inner pulp of two fruits is cooked with rice. The different Grhyasutras differ in their point of view, whether the garbhadhana is to be performed only once, before
1872-510: A metal jug, he sacrifices the mix into the fire, saying: "May I, as I prosper in this my house, nourish a thousand ! May fortune never fail in its race, with offspring and cattle, Svah ! I offer to thee [the baby] in my mind the vital breaths which are in me, Svah ! Whatever in my work I have done too much, or whatever I have done too little, may the wise Agni make it right, make it proper, Svah !" The Upanishad includes prayer to deity Saraswati during this rite of passage,
1976-410: A paste of honey, ghee and curd. Sankhyayana Gryhasutra recommends that fish, goat or partridge meat gravy be added to the solid food that baby tastes for the first time, while Manava Gryhasutra is silent about the use of meat. The mother eats with the baby, the same food. The father sits with them and participates in the rite of passage. The rite of passage, in some texts, include charity and feeding of
2080-499: A positive disposition, generosity, and lack of possessiveness . (8.23) A man who has performed the forty sanskaras but lacks these eight virtues does not obtain union with Brahman . (8.24) A man who may have performed only some of the forty sanskaras but possesses these eight virtues, on the other hand, is sure to obtain union with Brahman. (8.25) The Gautama Dharmasutra list the following forty rituals as outer samskaras: To obtain union with Brahman, one must also possess
2184-470: A result, Om is regularly pronounced [õː] in the context of Sanskrit. However, this o reflects the older Vedic Sanskrit diphthong au , which at that stage in the language's history had not yet monophthongised to o . This being so, the syllable Om is often archaically considered as consisting of three phonemes : "a-u-m". Accordingly, some denominations maintain the archaic diphthong au viewing it to be more authentic and closer to
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#17328843134342288-478: A struggle between Devas (gods) and Asuras (demons). Max Muller states that this struggle between gods and demons is considered allegorical by ancient Indian scholars, as good and evil inclinations within man, respectively. The legend in section 1.2 of Chandogya Upanishad states that gods took the Udgitha (song of Om ) unto themselves, thinking, "with this song we shall overcome the demons". The syllable Om
2392-532: Is a ritual that celebrates as a milestone, the child's formal attempt to learn means of knowledge. This includes steps where the child, helped by the parents and other family members, does one or more of the following: writes letters of the mother-tongue, draws mathematical numbers or shapes, and plays a musical instrument. The oldest texts that describe rites of passage, such as the Dharmasutras, make no mention of Vidyarambha and go direct to Upanayana ritual at
2496-447: Is accompanied by both the mother and the father, siblings if any, as well some nearby loved ones, such as grandparents and friends. The significance of Niskramana and showing the baby heavenly bodies is derived from their significance of Sun, Moon and nature in the Vedic literature. At the time the baby is present before the sunrise or moon, it is the father who holds the baby and recites
2600-687: Is also "preparation, purifying, perfecting" from one's past state to one's future state. The word samskara is rare in the oldest layer of Vedic literature, but its roots sam and kr occur often enough. The word appears in Rig Veda hymns 6.28.4 and 8.33.9, as well as other Vedic texts, where the context suggests it simply means "purify, prepare". It appears in Jaimini Purvamimamsa-sutra (500-200 BCE) many times, where it again means "prepare, perfect, polish" something, either through action, speech or mind. In sections 3.8.3, 9.3.25 and 10.2.49 of
2704-505: Is breath; they are pairs, and because they have love for each other, speech and breath find themselves together and mate to produce a song. The highest song is Om , asserts section 1.1 of Chandogya Upanishad. It is the symbol of awe, of reverence, of threefold knowledge because Adhvaryu invokes it, the Hotr recites it, and Udgatr sings it. The second volume of the first chapter continues its discussion of syllable Om , explaining its use as
2808-406: Is combined with the rite of passage of Upanayana, initiation to formal schooling. The ritual may include recitation of prayers for the child's long life and happiness. Karnavedha ( IAST : Karṇavedha, Sanskrit: कर्णवेध) literally means "ear-piercing". This is a minor rite of passage that is not mentioned in most Gryha-sutras. Those that mention it state different schedules, with some suggesting
2912-420: Is cut and the nails are trimmed. Sometimes, a tuft of hair is left to cover the soft spot near the top of baby's head. The significance of this rite of passage is the baby's cyclical step to hygiene and cleanliness. The ritual is seen as a passage of purity. It is typically done about the first birthday, but some texts recommend that it be completed before the third or the seventh year. Sometimes, this ritual
3016-419: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages omkar Om (or Aum ) ( listen ; Sanskrit : ॐ, ओम् , romanized : Oṃ, Auṃ , ISO 15919: Ōṁ ) is a polysemous symbol representing a sacred sound, syllable, mantra , and invocation in Hinduism . Its written form is the most important symbol in the Hindu religion. It
3120-595: Is immortal. It is a mark to be penetrated. Penetrate It, my friend. Taking as a bow the great weapon of the Upanishad, one should put upon it an arrow sharpened by meditation, Stretching it with a thought directed to the essence of That, Penetrate that Imperishable as the mark, my friend. Om is the bow, the arrow is the Self, Brahman the mark, By the undistracted man is It to be penetrated, One should come to be in It, as
3224-573: Is in many other books of the Rigveda, such as the hymn 10.85.37. The Atharva Veda, similarly in verse 14.2.2, states a ritual invitation to the wife, by her husband to mount the bed for conception, "being happy in mind, here mount the bed; give birth to children for me, your husband". Later texts, such as the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad , in the last chapter detailing the education of a student, include lessons for his Grihastha stage of life. There,
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3328-579: Is linked to the Highest Self, and section 2.23 where the text asserts Om is the essence of three forms of knowledge, Om is Brahman and "Om is all this [observed world]". The Katha Upanishad is the legendary story of a little boy, Nachiketa , the son of sage Vājaśravasa , who meets Yama , the Vedic deity of death. Their conversation evolves to a discussion of the nature of man, knowledge, Atman (Self) and moksha (liberation). In section 1.2, Katha Upanishad characterises knowledge ( vidyā ) as
3432-425: Is marked through Vidyarambha or Upanayana samskara ritual. During a traditional Jātakarman ritual, the father welcomes the baby by touching the baby's lips with honey and ghee (clarified butter), as Vedic hymns are recited. The first significance of the hymns is medhajanana (Sanskrit: मेधाजनन), or to initiate the baby's mind and intellect in the womb of the world, after the baby's body formation has completed in
3536-503: Is on the tenth of the Hindu month Ashvin (September–October). It includes a prayer to goddess Saraswati and deity Ganesh, a teacher is invited or the parents themselves work with the child to write Lipi (letters of the alphabet), draw Samkhya (numbers) or pictures, and sometimes play with an instrument. In modern times, parents mark this rite of passage in the third year of the child. Upanayana ( IAST :Upanayana, Sanskrit: उपनयन) literally means "the act of leading to or near". It
3640-600: Is one of the most important spiritual sounds. The syllable is often found at the beginning and the end of chapters in the Vedas , the Upanishads , and other Hindu texts , and is often chanted either independently or before a mantra, as a sacred spiritual incantation made before and during the recitation of spiritual texts, during puja and private prayers, in ceremonies of rites of passages ( sanskara ) such as weddings, and during meditative and spiritual activities such as yoga . It
3744-501: Is part of the iconography found in ancient and medieval era manuscripts, temples, monasteries, and spiritual retreats in Hinduism , Buddhism , Jainism , and Sikhism . As a syllable, it is often chanted either independently or before a spiritual recitation and during meditation in Hinduism, Buddhism , and Jainism . The syllable Om is also referred to as Onkara (Omkara) and Pranava among many other names . The syllable Om
3848-438: Is referred to by many names, including: The etymological origins of ōm (aum) have long been discussed and disputed, with even the Upanishads having proposed multiple Sanskrit etymologies for aum , including: from " ām " ( आम् ; "yes"), from " ávam " ( आवम् ; "that, thus, yes"), and from the Sanskrit roots " āv- " ( अव् ; "to urge") or " āp- " ( आप् ; "to attain"). In 1889, Maurice Bloomfield proposed an origin from
3952-455: Is represented in Devanagari as ओम् , composed of four elements: the vowel letter अ ( a ), the vowel diacritic ो ( o ), the consonant letter म ( m ), and the virama stroke ् which indicates the absence of an implied final vowel. Historically, the combination ओ represented a diphthong, often transcribed as au , but it now represents
4056-494: Is same as Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, all deities, the universe, and Om . (O Lord Ganapati!) You are (the Trimurti) Brahma , Vishnu , and Mahesa . You are Indra . You are fire [ Agni ] and air [ Vāyu ]. You are the sun [ Sūrya ] and the moon [ Chandrama ]. You are Brahman . You are (the three worlds) Bhuloka [earth], Antariksha-loka [space], and Swargaloka [heaven]. You are Om. (That
4160-406: Is so widespread and linked to knowledge, that it stands for the "whole of Veda". The symbolic foundations of Om are repeatedly discussed in the oldest layers of the early Upanishads. The Aitareya Brahmana of Rig Veda, in section 5.32, suggests that the three phonetic components of Om ( a + u + m ) correspond to the three stages of cosmic creation, and when it is read or said, it celebrates
4264-400: Is the essence of the supreme Absolute, consciousness, Ātman , Brahman , or the cosmic world. In Indic traditions, Om serves as a sonic representation of the divine, a standard of Vedic authority and a central aspect of soteriological doctrines and practices. It is the basic tool for meditation in the yogic path to liberation . The syllable is often found at the beginning and
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4368-456: Is the most sacred syllable symbol and mantra of Brahman , which is the ultimate reality, consciousness or Atman (Self within). It is called the Shabda Brahman (Brahman as sound) and believed to be the primordial sound ( pranava ) of the universe. Om came to be used as a standard utterance at the beginning of mantras, chants or citations taken from the Vedas . For example,
4472-426: Is the word for yes. Regardless of its original meaning, the syllable Om evolves to mean many abstract ideas even in the earliest Upanishads. Max Müller and other scholars state that these philosophical texts recommend Om as a basic tool for meditation and explain the various meanings that the syllable may hold in the mind of one meditating, ranging from "artificial and senseless" to the "highest concepts such as
4576-472: Is thus implied as that which inspires the good inclinations within each person. Chandogya Upanishad's exposition of syllable Om in its opening chapter combines etymological speculations, symbolism, metric structure and philosophical themes. In the second chapter of the Chandogya Upanishad, the meaning and significance of Om evolves into a philosophical discourse, such as in section 2.10 where Om
4680-472: Is to say, You are all this). The Jaiminiya Upanishad Brahmana , a Samavedic text, outlines a story where those who chant Om can achieve the same rewards as deities. However, the gods are concerned about humans ascending to their realm. To address this concern, a compromise is reached between the gods and Death. Humans can attain immortality, but it involves relinquishing their physical bodies to Death. This immortality entails an extended celestial existence after
4784-600: Is written as ௐ , a ligature of ஓ ( ō ) and ம் ( m ), while in Kannada , Telugu , and Malayalam , Om is written simply as the letter for ō followed by anusvāra ( ಓಂ , ఓం , and ഓം , respectively). There have been proposals that the Om syllable may already have had written representations in Brahmi script , dating to before the Common Era . A proposal by Deb (1921) held that
4888-556: The swastika is a monogrammatic representation of the syllable Om , wherein two Brahmi /o/ characters ( U+11011 𑀑 BRAHMI LETTER O ) were superposed crosswise and the 'm' was represented by dot. A commentary in Nature (1922) considers this theory questionable and unproven. A. B. Walawalkar (1951) proposed that Om was represented using the Brahmi symbols for "A", "U", and "M" ( 𑀅𑀉𑀫 ), and that this may have influenced
4992-560: The Gayatri mantra , which consists of a verse from the Rigveda Samhita ( RV 3 .62.10), is prefixed not just by Om but by Om followed by the formula bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ . Such recitations continue to be in use in Hinduism, with many major incantations and ceremonial functions beginning and ending with Om . The Aitareya Brahmana (7.18.13) explains Om as "an acknowledgment, melodic confirmation, something that gives momentum and energy to
5096-496: The Om symbol has been simplified further. In Bengali and Assamese Om is written simply as ওঁ without an additional curl. In languages such as Bengali differences in pronunciation compared to Sanskrit have made the addition of a curl for u redundant. Although the spelling is simpler, the pronunciation remains [õː] . Similarly, in Odia Om is written as ଓଁ without an additional diacritic. In Tamil , Om
5200-661: The Om symbol is widely conflated with that of the unalome ; originally a representation of the Buddha's urna curl and later a symbol of the path to nirvana , it is a popular yantra in Southeast Asia, particularly in Cambodia and Thailand . It frequently appears in sak yant religious tattoos, and has been a part of various flags and official emblems such as in the Thong Chom Klao of King Rama IV ( r. 1851–1868 ) and
5304-472: The Simantonnayana ritual or in the last months of the pregnancy, the woman is expected to not overexert herself, her husband is expected to be by her and not to travel to distant lands. This rite of passage is regionally called by various names, such as Seemant , Godh bharai , Seemantham or Valaikaapu . Jātakarman literally means "rite of a new-born infant". It is a rite of passage that celebrates
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#17328843134345408-555: The pumsavana ritual is more elaborate, done in the presence of yajna fire and vedic chants, where the husband places a drop of Banyan leaf extract in the wife's right nostril for a son, and her left nostril for a daughter, followed by a feast for all present. The time prescribed for the pumsavana differs in different Grhyasutras, and can be extended up to the eighth month of pregnancy, according to some. Simantonnayana ( IAST : Sīmantonnayana, Sanskrit: सीमन्तोन्नयन), also called Simanta or Simantakarana , literally means "parting
5512-505: The Atharva Veda, wherein charms are recited for a baby boy. The Atharva Veda also contains charms to be recited for the birth of a child of either gender and the prevention of miscarriages, such as in section 4.6.17. The ritual is performed in diverse ways, but all involve the husband serving something to the expectant wife. In one version, she is fed a paste mixture of yoghurt, milk and ghee (clarified butter) by him. In another version,
5616-463: The Gryhasutras, while the preferred names are those affiliated with a deity, virtues, good qualities, lucky stars, constellation, derivatives of the name of the father, or mother, or the place of birth, or beautiful elements of nature (trees, flowers, birds). Nishkramana ( IAST : Niṣkrāmaṇa, Sanskrit: निष्क्रम) literally means "going out, coming forth", is the rite of passage where the parents take
5720-459: The Jaimini Purvamimamsa-sutra, the word samskara is used to describe actions of "washing the teeth, shaving the head, cutting nails, sprinkling water" as part of a ceremony. Samskara is defined by ancient Indian scholar Shabara as, "that which prepares a certain thing or person fit for a certain purpose". Another ancient text Viramitrodaya defines samskara , notes Kane, as "a peculiar excellence due to performance of certain actions which resides in
5824-629: The Rigveda, where repeated prayers for progeny and prosperity are solemnized, प्रजां च धत्तं द्रविणं च धत्तम् bestow upon us progeny and affluence The Vedic texts have many passages, where the hymn solemnizes the desire for having a child, without specifying the gender of the child. For example, the Rigveda in section 10.184 states, विष्णुर्योनिं कल्पयतु त्वष्टा रूपाणि पिंशतु । आ सिञ्चतु प्रजापतिर्धाता गर्भं दधातु ते ॥१॥ गर्भं धेहि सिनीवालि गर्भं धेहि सरस्वति । गर्भं ते अश्विनौ देवावा धत्तां पुष्करस्रजा ॥२॥ हिरण्ययी अरणी यं निर्मन्थतो अश्विना । तं ते गर्भं हवामहे दशमे मासि सूतवे ॥३॥ May Vishnu construct
5928-642: The Sun which is the syllable Om as the Self. The world is Om , its light is Sun, and the Sun is also the light of the syllable Om , asserts the Upanishad. Meditating on Om , is acknowledging and meditating on the Brahman-Atman (Self). The Mundaka Upanishad in the second Mundakam (part), suggests the means to knowing the Atman and the Brahman are meditation, self-reflection, and introspection and that they can be aided by
6032-609: The arrow becomes one with the mark. Adi Shankara , in his review of the Mundaka Upanishad, states Om as a symbolism for Atman (Self). The Mandukya Upanishad opens by declaring, " Om !, this syllable is this whole world". Thereafter, it presents various explanations and theories on what it means and signifies. This discussion is built on a structure of "four fourths" or "fourfold", derived from A + U + M + "silence" (or without an element). The Shvetashvatara Upanishad , in verses 1.14 to 1.16, suggests meditating with
6136-437: The baby outside the home and the baby formally meets the world for the first time. It is usually observed during the fourth month after birth. On this ritual occasion the newborn is taken out and shown the sun at sunrise or sunset, or the moon, or both. Alternatively, some families take the baby to a temple for the first time. The rite of passage involves bathing the baby and dressing him or her in new clothes. The baby's outing
6240-403: The birth of the baby. It is the first post-natal rite of passage of the new born baby. It signifies the baby's birth, as well as the bonding of the father with the baby. In Hindu traditions, a human being is born at least twice – one at physical birth through mother's womb, and second at intellectual birth through teacher's care, the first is marked through Jatakarman samskara ritual, the second
6344-615: The cause of the Universe, essence of life, Brahman , Atman , and Self-knowledge". The syllable Om is first mentioned in the Upanishads. It has been associated with various concepts, such as "cosmic sound", "mystical syllable", "affirmation to something divine", or as symbolism for abstract spiritual concepts in the Upanishads. In the Aranyaka and the Brahmana layers of Vedic texts, the syllable
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#17328843134346448-426: The couple intend to have a new baby, while a rite of passage of the wife would imply a one time ritual suffices. Pumsavana ( IAST : puṃsavana, Sanskrit: पुंसवन) is a composite word of Pums + savana . Pums as a noun means "a man, a human being, a soul or spirit", while savana means "ceremony, rite, oblation, festival". Pumsavana literally means "rite for a strong or male baby", usually translated as "nurturing
6552-592: The creative powers of the universe. However, in the eight anuvaka of the Taittiriya Upanishad, which consensus research indicates was formulated around the same time or preceding Aitareya Brahmana, the sound Aum is attributed to reflecting the inner part of the word Brahman. Put another way, it is the Brahman, in the form of a word. The Brahmana layer of Vedic texts equates Om with bhur-bhuvah-svah , which symbolizes "the whole Veda". They offer various shades of meaning to Om , such as it being "the universe beyond
6656-540: The eight virtues (compassion, patience, non-envy, purity of thought speech and body, inner calm and peace, positive attitude, generosity, and lack of possessiveness). There are diverse number of samskaras in Hinduism, varying by texts between 12 and 18 in the Grhyasutras (Kalpa sastras). Of these, 16 are referred to as "Shodasha Samskaras" ( Ṣoḍaśa Saṃskāra ). Garbhadhana ( IAST : Garbhādhāna, Sanskrit: गर्भाधान), also called Garbhalambhanam , literally means attaining
6760-466: The eighth year. The later texts, such as the Samsakara Prakasha , from the first centuries of 1st millennium CE, mention Vidyarambha as a rite of passage in the fifth year of a child's life, suggesting that the process of learning started shifting to an earlier age of a child with time. The ceremony is observed on the same day for all children in their fifth year, on the day of Vijayadasami which
6864-513: The end of chapters in the Vedas , the Upanishads , and other Hindu texts . Om emerged in the Vedic corpus and is said to be an encapsulated form of Samavedic chants or songs. It is a sacred spiritual incantation made before and during the recitation of spiritual texts, during puja and private prayers, in ceremonies of rites of passage ( samskara ) such as weddings, and during meditative and spiritual activities such as Pranava yoga . It
6968-438: The first conception, or every time before the couple plan to have additional children. To answer this question, the medieval era texts of various schools discussed and offered diverse views on whether the ritual is a rite of passage for the baby's anticipation in the womb ( garbha ), or for the wife ( kshetra ). A rite of passage of the baby would imply that Garbhadhana samskara is necessary for each baby and therefore every time
7072-449: The first two weeks of the baby's birth, usually about the tenth day. Namakarana ( IAST : Nāmakaraṇa, Sanskrit: नामकरण) literally means "ceremony of naming a child". This rite of passage is usually done on the eleventh or twelfth day after birth, and sometimes the first new moon or full moon day after the tenth day of birth. On the day of this samskara, the infant is bathed and dressed in new garments. His or her formal name, selected by
7176-574: The goddess of knowledge and wisdom in Hindu tradition. It also includes the threefold repetition of "Speech Speech" with the assertion to the baby, "You are the Vedas! so, live a hundred autumns", into the baby's ear by the father. At the end of the ritual pronouncements by the father, he gives the baby to the mother's breast for feeding. While the earliest Dharmasutras list Jatakarma and Namakarama as two different samskara, they evolve into one in many Gryhasutra texts. By Pantanjali's time, these two rites of passage had merged into one, and completed within
7280-420: The hair upwards". The significance of the ritual is to wish a healthy development of the baby and safe delivery to the mother. Simantonnayana ritual is described in many Gryhasutra texts, but Kane states that there is great divergence in details, which may be because the rite of passage emerged in more a recent era, before it receded into the background. The texts do not agree on whether this rite of passage
7384-536: The help of syllable Om , where one's perishable body is like one fuel-stick and the syllable Om is the second fuel-stick, which with discipline and diligent rubbing of the sticks unleashes the concealed fire of thought and awareness within. Such knowledge, asserts the Upanishad, is the goal of Upanishads. The text asserts that Om is a tool of meditation empowering one to know the God within oneself, to realize one's Atman (Self). The Ganapati Upanishad asserts that Ganesha
7488-404: The human journey of life. The eight good qualities listed by Gautama Dharmasutra are emphasized as more important than the forty samskara rituals, in verses 8.21-8.25, as follows, [...] (8.14-8.20) These are the forty sanskara (sacramentary rites). (8.21) Next, the eight virtues of the self: (8.22) Compassion towards all creatures, patience, lack of envy, purity , tranquillity, having
7592-551: The individual as well individual's social circle of his or her new role. Sanskāra , in modern usage, is sometimes used to mean "cultural, social or religious heritage". In the context of karma theory, Samskara are dispositions, character or behavioral traits either as default from birth (previous lives in some schools of Hinduism), or Samskara are behavioral traits perfected over time through Yoga , through conscious shaping of inner self, one's desire, sense of moral responsibility and through practice. In some schools of Hinduism,
7696-473: The language of the Vedas . In the context of the Vedas , particularly the Vedic Brahmanas , the vowel is often pluta ("three times as long"), indicating a length of three morae ( trimātra ), that is, the time it takes to say three light syllables . Additionally, a diphthong becomes pluta with the prolongation of its first vowel. When e and o undergo pluti they typically revert to
7800-419: The left nostril may also be pierced during this ritual. The piercing of the earlobes symbolically reminds the child, as he or she grows up, of beauty and social presence, of the importance of hearing and speech in the wisdom of the Vedas. Vidyarambha ( IAST : Vidyāraṃba, Sanskrit: विद्यारम्भ) literally means "beginning of study". It is also known as Akshararambha , Aksharaabhyaasa , or Aksharasvikara . It
7904-403: The life of a Brahmacharin , Understand that word in its essence: Om! that is the word. Yes, this syllable is Brahman , This syllable is the highest. He who knows that syllable, Whatever he desires, is his. The Maitrayaniya Upanishad in sixth Prapathakas (lesson) discusses the meaning and significance of Om . The text asserts that Om represents Brahman-Atman. The three roots of
8008-690: The list of 40 samskaras in the Gautama Dharmasutra from about the middle of the 1st millennium BCE, to 16 samskaras in the Grhyasutra texts from centuries later. The list of samskaras in Hinduism include both external rituals such as those marking a baby's birth and a baby's name giving ceremony, as well as inner rites of resolutions and ethics such as compassion towards all living beings and positive attitude. Saṃskāra (Sanskrit: संस्कार) has various context-driven meanings, that broadly refer to "the putting together, accomplishing well, making perfect,
8112-550: The numerous Dharmasutras and Grhyasutras from the 1st millennium BCE. Many of these rites of passage include formal ceremonies, with ritual readings of hymns, chants and ethical promises, aiming to orient the individual(s) to that which is considered part of dharma (right, good, just, moral, true, spiritual, responsible, duties to family members or society in general), and essential actions such as those associated with last rites and cremation, charitable works, or out of sraddha or items of faith. Gautama Dharmasutra enumerates
8216-684: The original diphthongs with the initial a prolonged, realised as an overlong open back unrounded vowel ( ā̄um or a3um [ɑːːum] ). This extended duration is emphasised by denominations who regard it as more authentically Vedic, such as Arya Samaj . However, Om is also attested in the Upanishads without pluta , and many languages related to or influenced by Classical Sanskrit, such as Hindustani , share its pronunciation of Om ( [õː] or [oːm] ). Nagari or Devanagari representations are found epigraphically on sculpture dating from Medieval India and on ancient coins in regional scripts throughout South Asia. Om
8320-406: The parents, is announced. The naming ritual solemnizes the child as an individual, marking the process by which a child is accepted and socialized by people around him or her. The Satapatha Brahmana verse 6.1.3.9 asserts that the naming ceremony is a cleansing ceremony for the baby. The rite of passage also includes a gathering of friends and relatives of the new parents, where gifts are presented, and
8424-412: The poor, and ceremonial prayers by both parents. Chudakarana ( IAST : Cūḍākaraṇa, Sanskrit: चूडाकरण) (literally, rite of tonsure), also known as choulam , caula , chudakarma , mundana or "mundan sanskar" is the rite of passage that marks the child's first haircut, typically the shaving of the head. The mother dresses up, sometimes in her wedding sari , and with the father present, the baby's hair
8528-563: The present-day royal arms of Cambodia . The Khmer adopted the symbol since the 1st century during the Kingdom of Funan , where it is also seen on artefacts from Angkor Borei , once the capital of Funan. The symbol is seen on numerous Khmer statues from Chenla to Khmer Empire periods and still in used until the present day. In Chinese characters , Om is typically transliterated as either 唵 ( pinyin : ǎn ) or 嗡 ( pinyin : wēng ). Traditional In Hinduism , Om
8632-487: The psyche of an individual. These influences determine how the individual acts, perceives themselves, and responds to or accepts karmic circumstances and the future. Samskaras in Hinduism are sacraments that begin with one's birth, celebrate certain early steps in a baby's growth and his or her welcome into the world in the presence of friends and family, then various stages of life such as first learning day, graduation from school, wedding and honeymoon, pregnancy, raising
8736-698: The psychological concept of samskara is also known as vāsanā . These are viewed as traces or temperament that evolves through the refinement of an individual inner consciousness and expressed personality, and is a form of "being-preparedness" in Vedantic psychology. In Samkhya and Yoga schools, samskara – also spelled as Samksara – are impressions or residues that affect an individual's Gunas (behavior attributes). In Nyaya school of Hinduism, not all Samskara are psychological. In these schools of Hinduism, rites of passage, other actions, studies, diligent preparation and inner resolutions trigger impressions or dispositions in
8840-515: The pursuit of the good, and ignorance ( avidyā ) as the pursuit of the pleasant. It teaches that the essence of the Veda is to make man liberated and free, look past what has happened and what has not happened, free from the past and the future, beyond good and evil, and one word for this essence is the word Om . The word which all the Vedas proclaim, That which is expressed in every Tapas (penance, austerity, meditation), That for which they live
8944-433: The rite of passage marks the first time a baby eats solid food, typically containing cooked rice. Most Gryhasutras recommend this ritual in the sixth month, or when the child shows the first teeth, with slow weaning of the baby from breast feeding to other sources of food. Some texts recommend continued breast feeding of the child, as the child adapts to the various foods. The ritual is usually celebrated with cooked rice, in
9048-432: The ritual within the first four weeks after birth, others suggesting within the first year. The purpose of this optional ritual is primarily an ornamentation of the body, and it is part of the baby's socialization process and culture emersion. The piercing is usually done with a clean gold thread, or silver needle. For a baby boy, the right earlobe is pierced first. For a baby girl, the left earlobe is. In case of girls,
9152-409: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Omkara . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Omkara&oldid=1250299050 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
9256-522: The significance of the syllable is thus: the essence of all beings is earth, the essence of earth is water, the essence of water are the plants, the essence of plants is man, the essence of man is speech, the essence of speech is the Rigveda , the essence of the Rigveda is the Samaveda, and the essence of Samaveda is the udgitha (song, Om ). Ṛc ( ऋच् ) is speech, states the text, and sāman ( सामन् )
9360-402: The soul or the body of the actor". samskara in Hindu traditions, states Kane, have been ceremonies, expressing outward symbols or signs of inner change, marking life events of significance. They served a spiritual, cultural and psychological purpose, welcoming an individual into a stage of life, conferring privileges to the individual(s), expecting duties from the individual, and impressing on
9464-440: The student is taught, that as a husband, he should cook rice for the wife, and they together eat the food in certain way depending on whether they wish for the birth of a daughter or a son, as follows, And if a man wishes that a learned daughter should be born to him, and that she should live to her full age, then after having prepared boiled rice with sesamum and butter, they should both eat, being fit to have offspring. And if
9568-492: The subconscious according to various schools of Hindu philosophy such as the Yoga school . These perfected or default imprints of karma within a person, influences that person's nature, response and states of mind. In another context, Samskara refers to the diverse sacraments in Hinduism , Jainism , Buddhism and Sikhism . In Hinduism, the samskaras vary in number and details according to regional traditions. They range from
9672-476: The sun", or that which is "mysterious and inexhaustible", or "the infinite language, the infinite knowledge", or "essence of breath, life, everything that exists", or that "with which one is liberated". The Samaveda , the poetical Veda, orthographically maps Om to the audible, the musical truths in its numerous variations ( Oum , Aum , Ovā Ovā Ovā Um , etc.) and then attempts to extract musical meters from it. When occurring within spoken Classical Sanskrit ,
9776-402: The syllable Om, ॐ , is a cursive ligature in Devanagari , combining अ ( a ) with उ ( u ) and the chandrabindu ( ँ , ṃ ). In Unicode , the symbol is encoded at U+ 0950 ॐ DEVANAGARI OM and at U+ 1F549 🕉 OM SYMBOL as a "generic symbol independent of Devanagari font". In some South Asian writing systems ,
9880-470: The syllable is subject to the normal rules of sandhi in Sanskrit grammar , with the additional peculiarity that the initial o of " Om " is the guṇa vowel grade of u , not the vṛddhi grade, and is therefore pronounced as a monophthong with a long vowel ( [oː] ), ie. ōm not aum . Furthermore, the final m is often assimilated into the preceding vowel as nasalisation ( raṅga ). As
9984-458: The syllable, states the Maitri Upanishad, are A + U + M . The sound is the body of Self, and it repeatedly manifests in three: Brahman exists in two forms – the material form, and the immaterial formless. The material form is changing, unreal. The immaterial formless is not changing, real. The immortal formless is truth, the truth is the Brahman, the Brahman is the light, the light is
10088-406: The symbol Om . It uses a bow and arrow analogy, where the bow symbolizes the focused mind, the arrow symbolizes the self (Atman), and the target represents the ultimate reality (Brahman). That which is flaming, which is subtler than the subtle, on which the worlds are set, and their inhabitants – That is the indestructible Brahman. It is life, it is speech, it is mind. That is the real. It
10192-458: The unusual epigraphical features of the symbol ॐ for Om . Parker (1909) wrote that an "Aum monogram", distinct from the swastika, is found among Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions in Sri Lanka , including Anuradhapura era coins, dated from the 1st to 4th centuries CE, which are embossed with Om along with other symbols. The Om symbol, with epigraphical variations, is also found in many Southeast Asian countries. In Southeast Asia ,
10296-514: The usage of the avagraha in Sanskrit , where it would instead indicate the prodelision of the initial vowel.) Om may also be written ओं , with an anusvāra reflecting the pronunciation of [õː] in languages such as Hindi. In languages such as Urdu and Sindhi Om may be written اوم in Arabic script , although speakers of these languages may also use Devanagari representations. The commonly seen representation of
10400-409: The wealth of the womb. It is a private rite of passage, marking the intent of a couple to have a child. It is a ceremony performed before conception and impregnation. In some ancient texts, the word simply refers to the rite of passage where the couple have sex to have a child, and no ceremonies are mentioned. Scholars trace this rite to Vedic hymns, such as those in sections 8.35.10 through 8.35.12 of
10504-431: The womb of the mother. The second part of the hymns wish the baby a long life. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, in the last chapter detailing lessons for Grihastha stage of life for a student, describes this rite of passage, in verses 6.4.24 to 6.4.27, as follows, When a child is born, he prepares the fire, places the child on his lap, and having poured Prishadajya of Dahi (yoghurt) and Ghrita (clarified butter), into
10608-491: The womb, may Twashtri fabricate the member, may Prajapati sprinkle the seed, may Dhatri cherish thy embryo; Sustain the embryo Sinivali, sustain the embryo Saraswati , may the divine Aswins, garlanded with lotuses, sustain thy embryo; We invoke thy embryo which the Aswins have churned with the golden pieces of Arani (firewood), that thou mayest bring it forth in the tenth month. The desire for progeny, without mentioning gender,
10712-427: Was the husband and wife getting together, with friends and family, then he parts her hair upwards at least three times. In modern times, the "parting hair" rite of passage is rarely observed, and when observed it is called Atha-gulem and done in the 8th month, with flowers and fruits, to cheer the woman in the late stages of her pregnancy. The ritual has more commonly evolved into a ritual that shares characteristics of
10816-402: Was to be celebrated before or after pumsavana , early or late stage of pregnancy, or the nature of ritual celebrations. The texts also disagree whether Simantonnayana was a rite of passage of the baby or of the pregnant woman, the former implying it must be repeated for every baby while the latter implying it was to be observed once for the woman with her first pregnancy. The common element
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